Chapter 18 Smart Girl
Lift up your head, princess. If not your crown falls. —Unknown.
.........
".........I need your help."
She must be sick in the head if she thought I was really going o come out I ran back downstairs and quietly drew the entrance curtain. She was looking gorgeous a usual but impatient.
"I'm not home" I lied.
"Then there's a burglar in your house"
"What do you mean?"
"I just saw someone peep out the window" how did she know? "in fact, the person is still peeping out the window." Our eyes met' "I know you're in the house, Remi. Come out, I need your help"
"What makes you think I would want to help you?"
"We are friends right? I invited you to my party and we played TOD together."
'Yeah, right. Like it wasn't all a scheme'
"Last time I checked, you and your friends tried to humiliate me"
"We didn't try to, we actually did and you know we can have this conversation one on one right? I mean I'm in front of your house"
"How do you even know my house?"
"I don't remember asking you that question when you showed up at my house"
"Everyone knows your house, you're—"
"Can you just step out of your house? I'm not complaining because of airtime, I just think it's stupid and a total waste of good credit"
Maybe whatever it was she wanted could actually help in my search for the murderer of Jax and who knows? I could just make her tell me who Abdullahi was. Who was I kidding; she wasn't going to tell me. I took a deep breath and pulled the door open.
"Urgh! Finally!, do you know how awkward it was standing in front of your house?"
"What you're scared that daddy's gonna see you in a house of a pauper?"
"That and the fact that I've been getting awkward stares from these street boys" she had a look of disgust on her face.
"So....what exactly do you need?"
"Your help?. Can we go iniside?"
"no we can't."
"why?"
"cos I don't want you snap chatting my house"
"Oh, okay" she gave a look that said, "or you're just trying to hide you poor looking house"
"So.....?"
"heard he's taking you as a date to Emems party."
Seriously? So she walked, scratch that. She made her driver drive her all the way here because she wanted to talk about a boy? God! What's happening to our girls!
"Don't tell me you actually came here because of March?"
"Actually, I did why else will I be in this.....place?"
"Do you even know how pathetic this looks and sounds? You're sixteen or seventeen, shouldn't you be having—"
"I didn't come for your advice. I know what I should, or shouldn't be doing."
Wow, how pathetic.
"so now that you know I'm his date, what do you want me to do?"
"I don't know what boys see in girls like you, but I want you to tell him to go out with me instead"
"first of all—"
"introduction" she teased.
"I'm being serious here. First of all, you need my help. So you talk to me with respect, especially because you're in my place. Secondly, what the hell do you mean by go out with you instead? We aren't going out, we are just friends' in fact, I can't classify what we have as friendship. So if you want him to go out with you, just ask him instead."
"So you guys aren't dating?"
"Dating? Where the hell did that erupt from?"
"And you don't like him?"
"Like him? I only just met him!"
"And there's no chance that you might ever date him?"
"What's it with your interrogation?"
"Just answer"
"Well, yes" I felt my voice betray me, why did it feel like I was saying something didn't mean? " there is no chance of us dating. Why do you—"
"That's just all I needed to know I'll—" she was interrupted by the noise of a power bike. We both watched as the power bike zoomed and finally halted in front of my house. The rider took his helmet off and Obinna appeared, he had his Konga shirt on.
"Obi! What are you doing here?" Aisha shouted and ran over to him. It was obvious that they knew eachother.
"I'm working" he replied"
"Yeah, I can see that, but shouldn't you be—"
"Please, Aisha. Not here. I'm working"
"Oh, okay. I'm sorry though, very sorry. You came to deliver something here?"
He gave her a look that said, "obviously"
"Okay," Aisha said. " I was just taking my leave. Ill see you tomorrow" she said, smiling stupidly.
"Alright then." He answered.
"See you in school tomorrow, Remi." Aisha said, her eyes fixed on Obinna."
"Whatever" I muttered and watched as walked into her car.
"So.... You know her?" we both asked together and I couldn't resist the urge to laugh.
"Yeah, she's a friend of someone I used to know" he answered, whatever that meant. " You?"
"Schoolmates" I answered.
"Not friends?"
"Not your business. What do you want?"
"you know what I want."
"what?"
"your phone number"
"you know I'm not going to give you right? Like you just wasted your time."
"okay," then, he brought a small box out of the back of his undeniably expensive jeans. " This id for you"
"you must be kidding me"
"I'm not. Sign here" he produced a pen and paper.
'all this for my phone number?' I thought.
"I'm sorry, the offer is extremely tempting, but I can't accept this"
"Then you have to give me your number."
"shouldn't this be the other way round?"
"how?"
Like, I should be the one telling you to bring me gifts for my number, not you bringing it willingly"
"I figured you weren't the type of girl that was into free things. I know things like this freak you out"
'You thought wrong, Mr.' or was he right.
"What if you're wrong, what if I'm not taking this only because I'm feeling sorry for you, I mean, you must digging too deep into your salary for your constant gifts"
"You saying that alone only shows that you're not the type of girl. So will you sign this package or will you give me your number, cos I'm not leaving this place if you don't do any of the two"
I gazed at him for a minute before finally saying, "Give me your phone"
"Smart Girl" he smiled and brought out an iPhone 8.
'How much do they pay delivery boys?' I wondered. 'Maybe Rotimi should apply and do something with his life'
"Rotimi? as in your brother?"
I gave him a confused look and said, "Yes?"
"you said you wanted your brother to get a job"
'HOLY HELL! I THOUGHT THAT OUT LOUD!"
